Conventional clamping devices for providing an electrical connection to a conductor include various clamps and forms of strap connectors. Conventional clamps typically have first and second arms that extend at a fixed distance from each other from a base. The arms and base form a C-shape or a U-shape, with the arms being positioned adjacent two end surfaces of the conductor. The base can be positioned against or slightly away from a front or side surface of the conductor. The clamp can be attached to the conductor through one or more mechanisms once the clamp is placed on the conductor.
In some conventional clamps, the first and second arms are rigidly fixed on a base having a fixed length, with the distance between the arms thus also being fixed. As a result, these clamps have a predetermined limited range of widths, generally equal to the length of an adjustment screw.
For example, conventional C-shaped clamps include a screw-like member with an abrading tip that is threaded through one of the arms of the C-shaped clamp. The screw member is threaded through the end of the C-shaped clamp into pressured contact with the meter box, with its abrading tip shaped to cut through the outer protective coating of the meter box to establish electrical contact with the metal beneath the coating.
However, conductors have many different shapes and dimension, thus limiting the utility of fixed-length clamps. Therefore, it may be desirable to provide an adjustable length clamp that provides a broad range of operational lengths. It may also be desirable to provide a meter box grounding clamp that is easily adjustable with a single hand to assist a user.